WO2003034861A1

WO2003034861A1 - Sealed tester housing

Info

Publication number: WO2003034861A1
Application number: PCT/FR2002/002892
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean-Louis Mathiez
Original assignee: Coty S.A.
Priority date: 2001-09-24
Filing date: 2002-08-16
Publication date: 2003-05-01
Also published as: FR2829910B1; FR2829910A1

Abstract

The invention aims at providing a tester housing whereof the impermeability is obtained by the combination of uniform application force transfer means and flexible absorption means. In the illustrated example, a tester housing (1) comprises a closure lid and a support for receiving the product to be tested, the lid (10) being mounted on the support forming a base (30) through a connecting hinge (11). The invention is characterized in that a sealing surface (20) is urged to be uniformly applied on the periphery (42) of the receptacle (40) of the product to be tested when the lid (10) is in closed position on the base (30). The base is mounted on elastic suspension means which then store the energy generated by the application forces and reversible closure means (15, 38) and maintain the housing (1) in that position. Additionally, when the lid is in open position, automatic return means fold down the lid towards the support after each use.

Description

I

WATERPROOF TESTER BOX

The invention relates to a waterproof case with secure closure, suitable for the presentation and application of products to be tested at a point of sale. The invention mainly, but not exclusively, relates to fluid, powdery or pasty cosmetic products, such as creams, gels, ointments. It can also apply to pharmaceutical care formulas, cleaning products such as waxes and polishes, etc.

These boxes are intended to be opened frequently by multiple users, while remaining protected against evaporation, soiling or bacterial contamination.

The overall mission of the testers is to allow the potential customer to try, compare and choose a product from among the various products offered, for example by evaluating the shades, textures or consistency of the formulas, as well as the effect produced on the skin ( freshness, relaxation, fragrance, etc.). It has thus been shown that a large majority of purchases of cosmetic make-up products are made at the point of sale. Hence the importance of the presentation of the product.

The state-of-the-art testers are constituted either by the free availability of a packaging for sale, the packaging which can be in a jar, flask, tube, stick, etc., or according to a mode of presentation. specific of the item offered for sale.

In the latter case, these may be single-dose dispensers, larger-capacity packaging or presentations in simplified cases, in particular for expensive and complex products. Such specific packaging may require the adaptation of the formula or of the distribution, for example by pumping, and cause the appearance of distortions in the formula or of physical modifications of the product (difference in viscosity, etc.), detrimental to its quality.

In addition, a major drawback of all these testers stems from the fact that, at best after a few uses if not from the first use, the boxes are poorly closed or left open in the case of a packaging taken from those put in sales or, in the case of specific cases, have a leak. Indeed, no watertight closure means is compatible with easy and rapid access to the product. When they exist, these means remain rudimentary: handled a large number of times without great care, they deteriorate quickly and no longer perform their sealing function.

In all cases, a faulty seal leads, in addition to the risk of contamination, to a product that has become "dry" by evaporation of the volatile formulas. This defect is particularly harmful to the image of the product because its qualities are deteriorated. The “dry” product becomes an obstacle to sales, which of course produces the opposite effect to that expected by the distributor and the manufacturer.

To remedy this defect, the testers identical to those put on sale are replaced frequently. This replacement significantly increases the costs borne by the manufacturer. In addition, this mode of presentation leads to an increase in thefts of products or the passage to the checkers' boxes.

In the case of specific boxes, the costs of production in small quantities and packaging on a different line from that of the products offered for sale involves significant costs. In addition, a different presentation can lead to confusion about the product and a poor evaluation of the formula when a different mode of application is used. The invention aims to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above, by proposing a sealed housing, with easy opening and automatic closing, without causing excessive additional costs.

To do this, the housing of the invention is sealed by a combination of means for transferring the application forces and flexible absorption means. Advantageously, this box can present the formula according to the product as packaged for sale.

More specifically, the subject of the invention is a tester housing comprising a closure cover and a receptacle support for the product to be tested, the cover being mounted on the support by a connecting hinge, and in which, in the cover closure position , a deformable sealing surface comes into uniform support at the periphery of the receptacle for the product to be tested, the receptacle being mounted on elastic suspension means which store the energy generated by the supporting forces and maintained by reversible closing means of the housing in this position. When the cover is in the open product presentation position, automatic return means fold the cover towards the support after each use. Thus, a safe and automatic closure is triggered immediately after use, without manipulation.

According to particular embodiments of the housing:

- The sealing surface is preferably formed by a seal embedded in a groove of the cover, advantageously limited by two concentric walls; alternatively a layer of flexible material or a bead can form a deformable sealing surface;

- The suspension means are produced by at least one helical spring, with a leaf or a spiral, made of metal or plastic; or else by a layer of material having a deformability greater than that of the seal, for example an elastically deformable cellular foam, with open or closed cells, such as a polyurethane foam; the reversible closure means are formed by magnetic means, in particular by at least one magnetized patch in cooperation with at least one metal pad, by any mechanical closure system, for example a lip and rim system, with a slide or else by clipping means; - The return means are formed either by elastic return means, in particular leaf or spring, arranged between the cover and the support, or in abutment, which can be formed by pressing the cover against the support, such support keeping the cover in an unbalanced position when using the product in the presentation position, to initiate automatic closing by gravity after each use;

- The receptacle is removable to form a refill of the product and, preferably, is a product packaging for its sale, thus allowing to replace the product to be tested at lower cost;

- The support is molded in a rigid thermoplastic material having an elastic memory, such as polypropylene, polyoxymethylene (POM) or acrylo-butadiene-styrene (ABS);

- The cover is molded in a transparent thermoplastic material, such as crystal polypropylene, polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) to allow viewing of the product to be tested; - an opacification at the periphery of the cover is then carried out by bi-injection, overmolding or by attached piece (clipping, bonding or welding), making it possible to add a decoration, a lacquering or a tinted material for aesthetic reasons; - The hinge is for example with an added axis (by plastic or metallic pinning) or in one piece with the support and articulation of the cover by clipping; and

- The cover and the support are made in a single thermoplastic piece, preferably polypropylene, the two elements being connected by a film hinge.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description which follows, relating to an exemplary embodiment, with reference to the appended figures which represent respectively: - Figure 1, an exploded view of the three basic elements d 'An example of a tester unit according to the invention;

- Figure 2, a perspective view of the housing according to Figure 1 after assembly and introduction of the receptacle containing the product to be tested;

- Figures 3 and 3a, side views of the housing, the cover has a maximum opening respectively less than and greater than 90 ° relative to the support;

- Figure 4, a perspective view of the same housing after closing; Figure 5, an exploded view of another example of a housing according to the invention; and

- Figures 6a and 6b, perspective views of the housing according to Figure 5, with respectively open or closed cover.

In the figures, identical reference signs relate to identical or corresponding elements. As illustrated by the exploded view of FIG. 1, an example of a tester unit 1 for foundation, of generally parallelepiped shape, mainly comprises:

- A cover 10, in polished crystal polypropylene and provided with two hinge clips 1 1, a housing formed by two concentric walls 12 oval, a housing 13 in the form of a disc for a magnetized patch, and a projection gripping 14; - A seal 20, of oval shape, able to be inserted between the two walls 12 with a thickness of 2 mm, and made of silicone injected in liquid form; and

a support formed of a single piece by a base 30, made of ABS (copolymer of acrlo-butadiene-styrene), comprising two hinge pins 31, a central housing 32 whose perforated bottom 33 essentially comprises four elastic tabs 34 bent in end and formed integrally from an axis, a housing 35 of a metal shoe, and a concave gripping recess 36. Lateral attachment means by slide 37 are also provided.

The cover, the base and the seal are produced by molding, preferably by injection. Alternatively, the joint can be cut on a die or by water jet. Once assembled with its accessories and the product to be tested, the housing 1 is in the form illustrated in FIG. 2. The cover 10 is mounted on the base 30 by mounting the clips 11 on the axes coming from molding.

A magnetized pad 15 is inserted in the housing 13, opposite the metal pad 38 inserted in the housing 33 of the base 30. The cylindrical pad has a diameter of 14 mm and a thickness of 5 mm, while the pad is a iron disc of the same diameter and thickness approximately equal to 1.5 mm. The pad and the pad are fitted into their respective housings.

The seal 20 is mounted in its housing 12. It is preferably to higher quality standards, of skin or food contact type.

Finally, the cup-shaped product receptacle 40, in which the foundation 41 has been deposited, is mounted in the central housing 32, suspended on the elastic tabs 34. The cup 40 has a peripheral rim 42 whose shape oval rests on the underside 20i of the seal 20. The cup is made of the same material as the base.

In the maximum open position, as illustrated in the side view of FIG. 3, the cover 10 remains inclined at an angle A approximately equal to 80 ° relative to the plane of the base 30 due to the support of the cover. against the base. Thus, when this box is placed on a display unit P in horizontal plane, the cover cannot remain in equilibrium in its open position. maximum by the cantilever position of the center of gravity G: after use, the cover 10 therefore falls by gravity onto the base, braked in its fall by the resistance of the hinge and by the damping of the lugs suspension as explained above. According to the variant illustrated in Figure 3a, there is provided a cover support 10 providing a maximum opening A greater than 90 degrees. The support is adjusted so that the base 30 rests on a display unit P in an inclined plane towards the user, such an inclination of the display unit improving the viewing conditions of the product to be tested. The support is adjusted while imposing on the center of gravity G a position of non-equilibrium, outside the vertical plane V.

In the closed position, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the seal 20 comes to bear on the entire periphery of the peripheral rim 42 of the bucket 40. The bearing forces F corresponding to the weight of the cover are distributed uniformly over this entire periphery, and transmitted elastic legs 34. The legs store the energy developed by elastic deformation until reaching an equilibrium position.

The pad 15 finally comes into contact on the pad 38, due to the magnetic force exerted by the pad on this pad. This magnetic force thus automatically and reversibly locks the cover 10 on the base 30. The dimensions of the closed housing, of rectangular shape, are approximately 25 mm thick, 70 mm wide and 100 mm long.

The elastic force exerted by the tabs 34 also counterbalances this magnetic force which is added to the support forces. The energy ultimately stored by the elastic legs corresponds to the support forces. The tightness between the cover and the rim is optimized and uniform because the seal-rim assembly is kept in intimate contact by the elastic tabs.

When a new user wishes to open the cover, he lifts it from the gripping projection 14, the accessibility of which is facilitated by the concave hollow 36 of the base 30. The release force is substantially equal to the force magnetic less the elastic force exerted by the legs.

FIG. 5 illustrates in exploded view another example of embodiment of a housing allowing in particular to see the product through a perforated cover 50. It is a metal cover which has a wide opening 51 as well as notches 52 for connection with the base, and a stop 53 for locking the cover in maximum opening. A window 54 made of transparent plastic material is mounted against the cover, this window receiving the seal 20 as in the previous example. The cup 40, receptacle for the product to be tested, is placed in a housing 60 formed in the base 61 and rests on an annular cushion 62 made of polyurethane foam. Hinges 63 are formed on the base to cooperate with the notches 52 of the cover, and magnetic pads 15 are fixed on the base to hold the cover 50 in the closed position. In FIG. 6a, the perspective view in the open cover position, shows more particularly, the mounting of the window 54 on the perforated cover 50 and of the seal 20 on the window 54, the articulation of the cover 50 on the hinges 63 of the base 61, as well as the deformable annular cushion 62 and the magnetized pads 15. In the closed position (FIG. 6b), the stop 53 and the viewing window 54 are highlighted.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown. It is possible, for example, to provide mechanical or magnetic lateral attachment means to form a battery of 6 or 10 test boxes in which the same product is available in color or composition. In addition, the closing means can be mechanical means, for example a bolt and bolt assembly.

Furthermore, the seal can be made of elastomer, natural or synthetic rubber, Teflon or silicone or equivalent, having a low hardness, for example of the order of 10 to 30 Shore A. In addition, the seal, the receptacle and the corresponding housings may have a shape other than rectangular, for example oval, oblong or any geometric shape with closed perimeter. The housing can also be of a shape other than parallelepiped, for example of hexagonal shape to allow a compact presentation of different products. As a variant, the base can be common to different receptacles in connection with individualized covers, so as to maintain maximum sealing for each product. Furthermore, the box can be dedicated for other purposes, for example for the distribution of samples.

Claims

1. Tester housing comprising a closing cover ^* and a support for the receptacle for the product to be tested, the cover (10, 50) being mounted on the support (30) by a connecting hinge, characterized in that, in the closed position of the cover, a deformable sealing surface (20) comes to bear uniformly at the periphery (42) of the receptacle (40), the latter being mounted on elastic suspension means (34, 62) which store the energy generated by the support forces (F) and maintained by reversible closing means (15, 38) of the housing (1) in this position, and in that, in the open position of the cover, automatic return means fold the cover towards the support after each use.

2. Tester housing according to claim 1, wherein the sealing surface is formed by a seal (20) housed in the cover.

3. Tester housing according to claim 2, wherein the seal is housed in a sealing groove (20) limited by two concentric walls (12).

4. Tester unit according to claim 1, in which the suspension means (34) are produced by at least one helical, leaf or spiral spring.

5. Tester unit according to claim 1, in which the suspension means are produced by flexible lugs forming an integral part of the support.

6. Tester unit according to claim 1, in which the suspension means are produced by a layer of elastically deformable cellular foam.

7. Tester unit according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the reversible closing means are formed by magnetic means (15, 38).

8. Tester unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the reversible closure means are formed by mechanical means.

9. Tester unit according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the product receptacle is mounted in a central housing (32) of the support (30) and rests in suspension on elastic tabs (34).

10. Tester unit according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the return means are formed either by elastic means, disposed between the cover and the support, or by abutment against the support keeping the cover in an unbalanced position during the use of the product to initiate an automatic closure by gravity after each use.

11. Tester unit according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the receptacle (40) is removable to form a refill of the product identical to the packaging of the product offered for sale.

12. Tester unit according to claim 7, in which the magnetic means comprise at least one magnetized patch (15).

13. Tester unit according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the support (30) is molded from a rigid thermoplastic material having an elastic memory, such as polypropylene, polyoxymethylene (POM) or acrylbutadiene-styrene. (ABS).

14. Tester unit according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the cover (10) is molded from a transparent thermoplastic material chosen from crystal polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate and polymethylmethacrylate to allow visualization of the product to test.

15. Tester unit according to the preceding claim, wherein an opacification at the periphery of the cover is achieved by adding a decoration.

16. Tester unit according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the hinge is with an added axis (31), the cover (10) being articulated by clipping (1 1).

17. Tester unit according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the cover and the support are made in a single thermoplastic part, the two elements being connected by a film hinge.

18. Tester unit according to the preceding claim, wherein the single piece is made of polypropylene.

19. Tester unit according to any one of the preceding claims, in which a gripping projection (14) of the cover collaborates with a concave gripping hollow (36) formed in the base.

20. Tester unit according to any one of the preceding claims, in which lateral attachment means (37) are also provided.